Convertible ladder



A. A. THOMPSON 2,381,525

CONVERTIBLE LADDER v Aug. 7, 1945.

Filed Aug. 3, 1943 l "5d 7%0775660/7 INVENTOR.

wayawvea ATTORNEYS .t'i'on, use and service section is indicated by Patented 7, 194:5v

. 1 2,331,525 CONVERTIBLE LADDER f V Alfred-A. Tho mpson,Dayton, Ohio r 'j Application Au ust a, 1943, Serial No. 497,189

2 Claims. I (O1. 228- 25) 1s invention relates to convertible ladders, andi its general object is to provide a ladder that can: be converted froma stepladder into an ex an easy and expeditious maniherew as a sis la en can for .use as an extension A further object is ladder. H

to provide; a convertible ladder, in which thesections are rigidlyassoci- ,ated when the ladder is used. as" either a stepladder or an extension ladder. v pf. f. Another. object isto provide a convertibleladjder't'hat is/simple in construction, inexpensive to" manufacture, and ext emely effioientin opera- This'invention also consistsiin; certain other features ,of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accomand of a-depth for the, upper ends of recesses are beveled or i Mounted in the recesses are the side rails l, the recesses shown in Figure 1.

being of a :width for the side rails to fit the same,

the side rails to extend a considerable. distance from the outer-ends of. -the recesses to provide spaces 5, for a purpose which will be Iaterapparent. The sidewalls of the slightly inclined toward the'lfront. edge: ofthe platform, for disposal of the sideurails at a forward inclination. I

Secured to the under face of theplatform 3 is a pair of brackets, one at eachend thereof, and each bracket includes a depending plate member I 6 having its forward edge curvedrearwardly the side walls panying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims. In describing theinvention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like'characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective'view of my ladder,

, with thesections associated for use as a stepladder. I

Figure 2 is a front view of Figure '1.

' v Figure '3 is an edge view of my ladder with the sections associated for 'use' as an extension ladder.

Figure 4 is a front View of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of step or platform of the main section. Figure 6 is an edge View thereof.

the upper Referring to the drawing in detail, the main the letter A and the auxiliary'seotion by B; The main section includes a pair of side rails I' having steps 2 secured to and bridging the same at regular intervals, and,

the rails are slightly inclined toward each other from the lower to the upper ends thereof, for disposal in converging relation. Suitable brackets may be provided for supporting, the steps 2, as will be apparent.

The top step or platform 3 is wider and longer than the steps 2, and is provided with recesses 4.

extending inwardly from the ends thereof, the recesses being square cornered and are disposed adjacent the front edge of the platform, as best from the upper end thereof. Formed on and extending outwardly and at right angles from the upper edges or"v each ofthe depending plate members '6 is,a pair of cars 1. The ears of the plate members receive the boltsof bolt and nut cennections 8 therethrough for securing the brackets to the platform, with the ears disposed upon opposite sides of the recesses and flushwith thereof, as well as fiush with the outer ends of the rear edges of the latter as best shown in Figure 6. The depending plate members have the upper ends of theside rails l fixed thereto by any bridging the same atregular intervals, and the suitable means such as bolt and nut connections, rivets or the like, and disposed adjacent to the rear ends of each plate member is a hole 9, the holesbeing disposed in registration with each other, and fixed to each of the side rails l is a square cornered loop member lo, the loops being disposed slightly below the uppermost step 2, as best'shown in Figure 1, so as to be spaced a considerable distancebelow the platform.

The auxiliary section B likewise includes a pair of side rails II with steps l2 secured to and lowermost step 12 is arrangeda considerable distance above thelower ends of theside rails II, in order to provide ample overlapping space of the side rails l and II, when the auxiliary section is telescopically mounted on the main section for use of the ladder as an extension ladder, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The side rails ll likewise converge toward each other from the lower to the upper ends thereof. In fact, the auxiliary section is exactly the same width as that of the main'section throughout the height thereof and is pivotally secured to the depending plate members 6 when the ladder is used as a stepladder by a headed rod l3 that extends through the upper ends of the side rails l and the holes 9, and the rod is provided with a wing nut to facilitate atplatform and the front and the section B from the rod respect to the main section, when it is desired to convert the ladder into an extension ladder.

Such conversion is brought about by removing l3, and the lower portion of the side rails H are then applied to the upper portions of the outer faces of the side rails I. The side rails l I are passed through the spaces 5 of the recesses and through the loops ID to be seated therein, the loops acting to prevent rearward and forward movement of the'auxiliary sec tion relative to the main section, and the recesses allow the side rails II to bear against the outer faces of the side rails I, I2 rests upon the platform, with the result it will be seen that the auxiliary section is held rigidly supported relative to the main section, when the ladder is converted into an extension ladder, as, will be apparent upon inspection of Figures 3' and 4. i 1

Suitable means is provided to limit rearward movement of the auxiliary section relative to the main section, when the ladder is used as astepladderas shown in Figures 1 and 2,and the means shown, include chains l4 having one of their ends connected to the side rails I,

connected to the opposite ends of the chains to be while the lowermost step" per ends of the main section side rails and having recesses in the ends between the front and rear edges thereof, means for removably and pivotally securing the upper ends of the auxiliary section side rails relative to the platform for use of the ladder as a stepladder, the lower ends of the side rails of the auxiliary section being receivable in the recesses in the platform when used as an extension ladder, looped-members secured to the main section side rails to receive the auxiliary secton side rails for securing the same to the main section side rails in cooperation with the recesses when the ladder is used as an extension ladder, and each section having its side rails converging toward each other'from the lower to the upper ends thereof for the lower portions of I the auxiliary side rails to fit the outer faces of the received in eyelets l6 secured to the side rails It.

It is thought fromthe foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: I I

l. A ladder convertible to providea stepladder or an extension ladder, and comprising a main section and an auxiliary section, each section including side rails having steps secured tofand bridging the same, a

platform secured to the upupper portions of the main side rails and the edge walls of the recesses being similarly formed at an angle.

2. A ladder convertible to provide a stepladder oran extension ladder, and comprising a main section and an auxiliary section, each section including side rails having steps secured thereto and bridging the same, a platform provided with recesses in the ends between the front and rear edges thereof, brackets fixed to and depending from the platform and having the upper ends of the main section side rails fixed thereto, means for removably and-pivotally securing the upper ends ofthe auxiliary section side rails to the brackets for use of the ladder as a stepladder the bottom step of the auxiliary section resting on the platform, and the portionsof the side rails below said'step being receivable m ne recesses when used as an extension ladder, and looped'members secured to the main section side rails to receive the auxiliary section side rails for cooperation with the recesses in securing the same to the main section side rails when the ladder is used as an extension ladder. ALFRED A. THOMPSON. 

